Orndorff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The roots of the distinguished German surname Orndorff are somewhat unclear. The name is thought to be derived from theMiddle High German words "arn," meaning "eagle," and "dorff," meaning "village;" in this case, the name would denote "eagle village." Alternatively, the first part of the name may be derived from the Middle High German "horn," meaning "projecting hill" or "spur of land." In this instance, the name would indicate "a village on a hill." There is no known city bearing the name "Orndorff;" the name may be a nickname used by the citizens in description of the town. In either case, the surname Orndorff would probably have been initially borne by a resident of this unknown town.

Early Origins of the Orndorff family

The surname Orndorff was first found in various regions in Germany. It is likely that there were once several towns in Germany known popularly as "Orndorff"; thus, the surname may have emerged independently in several different areas. The Orndorff family was instrumental during these early times, playing an important role in the development of medieval German society.

Early History of the Orndorff family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Orndorff research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1862 and 1927 are included under the topic Early Orndorff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Orndorff Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Orndorf, Orndorff, Orndorfer, Orndorrfer and others.

Early Notables of the Orndorff family

Notables of the time with the name Orndorff included

William Ridgely Orndorff (1862-1927), an American chemist, professor, and author

Orndorff Ranking

In the United States, the name Orndorff is the 9,518^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Orndorff migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Orndorff Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Peter Orndorff, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 2

Orndorff Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Milton Orndorff, aged 38, who arrived in America, in 1904
W. R. Orndorff, aged 47, who arrived in America, in 1910
Myrtle A. Orndorff, aged 22, who arrived in America, in 1914
Charlotte Orndorff, aged 37, who immigrated to Ithaca, N. Y., in 1924
Mary R. Orndorff, aged 10, who immigrated to Ithaca, N. Y., in 1924

Contemporary Notables of the name Orndorff (post 1700) +

Paul Parlette Orndorff (b. 1949), retired American professional wrestler
James Brent Orndorff (b. 1978), American musician best known as the singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist
Florence M Orndorff (b. 1899), American teacher and union official
Paul Orndorff (b. 1949), former National Football League player

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)